The tribe wear only the narrowest possible strip of cloth round the
loins, and another strip on the head, one end of which is often allowed
to hang down over the ear. Formerly they lived by dahya cultivation,
burning down patches of forest and scattering seed on the ground
fertilised by the ashes, and they greatly resent the prohibition of
this destructive method. They have now taken to making baskets and
other articles from the wood of the bamboo. They are of dirty habits,
and seldom wash themselves. Forty years ago their manner of life was
even ruder than at present, as shown in the following notice [300]
of them by Mr. Ball in 1876:
"Proceeding along the bed of the valley I came upon two colonies of
a wild race of people called Kamars by their neighbours. They were
regular Troglodytes in their habits, dwelling in caves and existing
chiefly on roots and fish. It is singular to observe how little the
people of these wild races do to protect themselves from the inclemency
of the weather. In one of these caves the sole protection from the
air was a lean-to of loosely placed branches. The people seemed to
be very timid, hiding themselves on our approach. I did not therefore
like to attempt an examination of their dwellings. After some calling
on our part one man was induced to make his appearance. He was a most
wretched-looking, leprous object, having lost several fingers and
toes. He could give no very definite explanation as to his means of
subsistence. All he could say was that he lived 'by picking up odds and
ends here and there.' However, he seemed to be able to afford himself
the solace of tobacco. A few cocks and hens at one of the caves,
and a goat at the other, were the only domestic animals which I saw."